Beet and Goat Cheese Salad (Printable View)

Roasted beets, goat cheese, walnuts, and fresh greens tossed with a tangy balsamic dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 3 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
02 - 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
03 - ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
04 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, spring mix)

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool slightly, peel, and cut into wedges or cubes.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Arrange mixed greens in a large bowl or on a platter. Top with roasted beets, crumbled goat cheese, and walnuts.
05 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad just before serving. Toss gently or serve as a composed salad.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet earthiness of beets plays against tangy goat cheese in a way that feels almost effortless but tastes like you spent hours planning it.
  • You can have it ready in under an hour, and most of that time is just the oven doing the work while you do something else.
  • It's the kind of salad that looks fancy enough for guests but honest enough for a quiet lunch alone.
02 -
  • Toasting the walnuts in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes before adding them makes them taste roasted and complex instead of just raw and mild.
  • The temperature of the beets matters more than you'd think; if they're still warm when you dress the salad, the heat actually helps the greens wilt slightly in the best way, creating better flavor integration.
03 -
  • Roast your beets a day ahead if your schedule allows; they actually taste better the next day as the flavors mellow and deepen, and it takes the pressure off your timing.
  • Make the dressing in a jar and shake it just before serving if you're transporting this salad, which keeps everything separate until the last moment and prevents the greens from getting soggy.
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